Animal Models for Genetic Disease Research

Animal Models for Genetic Disease Research

  • Zebrafish

Zebrafish has many characteristics that make it a valuable model for studying human genetics and diseases:

  • 84 percent of genes associated with human disease have a zebrafish counterpart.

  • As a vertebrate, the zebrafish has the same major organs and tissues as humans.

  • The zebrafish genome has been fully sequenced to a very high quality.

  • The zebrafish genome has many gene duplications, resulting in gene subfunctionalization and neofunctionalization.

  • Mouse

The mouse is the preeminent model organism for the study of mammalian gene function and has provided an extraordinarily rich range of insights into basic genetic mechanisms and biological systems:

  • The characterization of mouse mutants has illuminated the relationship between gene and phenotype, providing transformational insights into the genetic bases of disease.
  • The mouse genetics is employing a range of diversity resources to delineate gene-gene and gene-environment interactions and to explore genetic context.
  • The mouse genetics is a powerful tool for assessing the functional impact of human genetic variation and determining the causal relationship between variant and disease.